Flywheel. Pound. CrossFit. Fusion. The Bar Method. Don’t recognize any of these names?
Well, you will.
These are among the top fitness trends this year. But are they for every level of fitness? And what are the pros and cons of each?
We asked two fitness experts to weigh in on these latest trends: Meg Jordan, the San Francisco-based editor-inchief of American Fitness Magazine, and Kathy Stevens, educational director at the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America in Sherman Oaks, Calif. POUND JORDAN:“You’re channeling your inner rock star to do a Pound workout. It was created by two women drummers. You use rhythm sticks. I like it.You stay in a squat most of the time. I think people got tired of punching bags, like punch-bag boxing. Instead of doing that, now you’ve got sticks you can pound away. It’s more of that full body rhythmic, cardio and muscular skeletal conditioning class. It’s trying to be the next trend, but I don’t know how long it will stick around.”
STEVENS:“It has great appeal for both the younger and more vintage group exerciser. It has a fun use of simple fitness tools plus great music and a sense of authenticity on the part of the program developers. There’s real potential to grow.”
THE BAR METHOD
The hour-long class combines elements of isometrics, interval training, dance conditioning, and sports rehabilitation to quickly and safely burn fat and carve muscle, its’ website states. But what do our experts think?
JORDAN:“I think it’s a great thing. It was founded here in San Francisco. It’s so huge in San Francisco. It’s high-end in terms of calorie-burning moves. It’s wellknown as being a fat-buster. People think that they have to work at a bar. But it really is all about body sculpting. You talk to someone who has done a bar method workout and their butt is so sore. Make sure you are in a beginning lesson.”
STEVENS:“The Bar Method brings back some great memories if you ever took formal dance lessons as a kid or young adult. It’s great for core strength, flexibility, balance and many of the other things associated with Pilates, yoga and a good old fashion dance class.”
FLYWHEEL
STEVENS:“Flywheel adds a new coolness to the already popular indoor cycle class.The niche studios popping up are creating a fun and exclusive feel for their members. It’s a nice shot in the arm for cyclists that may be getting a bit bored with their current class. It’s for those that want great cycle and other signature Yoga classes without the large over crowded gym feel.”
JORDAN:“Flywheel and SoulCycling are both indoor cycling classes. At $40 a class, it’s so expensive.The music blasts so hard that they hand out earplugs.And they hand out special cycling shoes that lock into the pedals. In SoulCycling, they have a diatribe of “You’re doing this for your soul”. It only lasts 45 minutes but you’re about fall over when you’re done. Not for beginners. It’s very intense. You’ll be doing lots of simulated climbing.There’s a chance for cardiovascular injury.”
CROSSFIT
STEVENS: It definitely ain’t your mama’s workout. CrossFit is definitely reigniting the idea of group exercise with the younger generation in a more jockish, less aerobic-y way with a regimen that offers a changing mix of weight lifting, aerobic exercise and body weight exercises. But these workouts are based on highly athletic and competitive exercise routines and not for the faint of heart or joint compromised. It’s great for the already fit who want to be the fittest they can be.”
JORDAN:“Chiropractors say they have more patients now with CrossFit injuries.The workout is notorious for people doing too much too soon. Low back and disk injuries.The overhead presses and deadlifts are too competitive.”
FUSION
STEVENS: Fusion can mean many things, but the original use of the term was to combine exercises and techniques between yoga and Pilates.Today we see it meaning any two different group X modalities. So it could be a cycle/body sculpt or a Yoga/boot camp. In any case the benefit is that you get a greater level of variety in the hour format. Not everyone has time to do a full cycle and sculpt or yoga and HITT training boot camp, so this can be a fun way to maximize your workout time and also prevent overtraining injuries that occur when you get stuck on one type of training routine.”
JORDAN:“Fusion classes will always be in high demand.Though sometimes they get too gimmicky.”
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